The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy, #1) in Book-A-Holics, Not So Anonymous

Aug 21, 2013 Emily D rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss, favorites, arc, reviewed

Do yourself a favor, go buy this book! You can abandon this review now, head to your local bookstore (or favorite online marketplace) and just buy this one. It is that good.

Rutkoski excels at world building. I was in love with the world she created in The Shadow Society and while reading The Winner鈥檚 Curse I was enraptured! I could feel the history oozing from the city, could see the war that took place between the Valorian鈥檚 and Herrani鈥檚 prior to the start of the novel. It has been a long time Do yourself a favor, go buy this book! You can abandon this review now, head to your local bookstore (or favorite online marketplace) and just buy this one. It is that good.

Rutkoski excels at world building. I was in love with the world she created in The Shadow Society and while reading The Winner鈥檚 Curse I was enraptured! I could feel the history oozing from the city, could see the war that took place between the Valorian鈥檚 and Herrani鈥檚 prior to the start of the novel. It has been a long time since I became so entrenched in a world.

Kestrel is the daughter of a general, this leaves her two options join the military or marry. Kestrel isn鈥檛 too interested in either option, she isn鈥檛 a fighter but a strategist, and the marriage prospects in the city aren鈥檛 exactly amazing. Kestrel would much rather play the piano and live through her music. I really liked Kestrel鈥檚 mind, she was sharp, clever, and steadfast. She really surprised me as a character and felt like a real person. It was interesting how she viewed conquering nations, when it was her father鈥檚 job to do the conquering.

While at the market Kestrel buys Arin. Arin is an incredibly multi-faceted character who you never really trust. Kestrel doesn鈥檛 treat Arin as a slave. She doesn鈥檛 treat anyone like a slave. It was really interesting to see Arin鈥檚 interactions with Kestrel and Kestrel鈥檚 interactions with the other slaves who live at Generals house.

When a big plot twist occurs I loved seeing how Arin and Kestrel changed with it, while still remaining the same people. There is so much working against their relationship. They are from nations at war with one another and both of them are loyal to their people and countries. I really can鈥檛 imagine their love overcoming all that is working against them, there is just so much in the way. That is one of the reasons The Winner鈥檚 Curse broke my heart.

I would be remiss if I didn鈥檛 mention how much I liked the secondary characters in this novel. Kestrels best friend and her brother were well fleshed out and added a depth to the story. I also loved the relationship between Kestrel and her father; they had their ups and downs. It felt very true to life.

Honestly, I could keep going, listing paragraph after paragraph of things I loved about The Winner鈥檚 Curse. The writing is well done; the story is intricate and ticked all of my mental boxes for an amazing story. I can not recommend it highly enough. I finished The Winner鈥檚 Curse in November and I am still thinking about it. Do yourself a favor, run, don鈥檛 walk, to your nearest bookseller and read The Winner鈥檚 Curse! ...more

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Mar 30, 2014 Suzzie rated it really liked it

I seen this book in a giveaway and fell in love with the cover. I do not regret buying it because it was a good read. Well developed characters who are easy to love!

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Dec 04, 2015 Aparajitabasu rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, romance, fantasy, fiction, historical-fiction

Original Link to the review at my blog Le' Grande Codex -

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This book. MY GOD THIS BOOK. Utterly and truly perfect. Marie Rutkoski's THE WINNER'S CURSE tells of a richly illuminated world where class matters above all, where the conquered are the slaves and society is a great cesspool of myriad desires and veiled schemes. A vivid milieu of deadly games and hard pressed gambles. Spellbinding and richly portrayed, The Winner's Curse marks an intriguing debut to a masterfully narrated tri

Original Link to the review at my blog Le' Grande Codex -

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This book. MY GOD THIS BOOK. Utterly and truly perfect. Marie Rutkoski's THE WINNER'S CURSE tells of a richly illuminated world where class matters above all, where the conquered are the slaves and society is a great cesspool of myriad desires and veiled schemes. A vivid milieu of deadly games and hard pressed gambles. Spellbinding and richly portrayed, The Winner's Curse marks an intriguing debut to a masterfully narrated trilogy.

Kestral and Arin. Starcrossed lovers. Mistress and slave. Doomed by birth and consequences to be on the opposite sides of the playing field. Kestral, the daughter of the General, excellent strategist. She is clever and has a mind for politics & the military. Afforded every opportunity her class in society offers her but only sees two options available. Get married or join the military as per her father's demands. Constrained by such demands, Kestral puts up a brave front but at heart looks o be free. Maybe that is what she saw in Arin, a kindred spirit, when she bought him from a trader on a whim.

Arin was one mysterious guy. And very proud too. He is a slave and a part of the rebellion looking to usurp their masters. Of course he is not bad to look at either. They develop one strange friendship, Kestrel and Arin. While the tension is palpable, it has very little to do with romance at first. Kestrel demands honesty from Arin. She knows he had secrets. Her mind may even confer that she is being played but she starts to depend upon Arin's opinion very much. Doomed for destruction, their characters brought a sense of complexity to the plot never before experienced.

A lyrical and well balanced narrative. The winner's curse has it all in spades, aristocratic elements, historical fiction. Two intriguingly complex and flawed protagonist in Kestral and Arin, who add an entirely new level of dynamics to this fascinating narrative/ You can never really guess where their story leads them next. An effective slow burn. This is an exceptionally well built world and the undercurrents of power-play with its twists and turns and shocking reveals leave the readers intrigued by its admirable wordplay. I recommend it, ladies and gents, give this masterpiece a try.

"A lyrical dynamo. Intriguingly portrayed and exquisitely enacted. Well played Marie Rutkoski"

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Feb 19, 2014 Kate rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, owned, fantasy, beautiful-covers, romance, four-stars-or-better, 2014, dystopian, 2015-book-challenge, 2015

I am extremely conflicted about this book. A part of me felt it was boring and the love story simultaneously took too long, but still, somehow, came out of nowhere. However, what prompted me to give it a good star rating is the change in dynamic (especially in the romantic relationship) late in the story. I'm a bit torn on the ending and the thought that it will end up in YA trope territory (view spoiler), especially when the other relationships took an interesting ...more

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Aug 21, 2013 Aydrea rated it it was amazing

I really enjoyed this book, it was a little slow in the beginning but if flew after that. Kestrel & Arin are an interesting couple, loved getting to see their relationship change although they are definitely in a tough spot. The relationship they have/want is going to be tough, can't wait to see what happens! I will say there were times I didn't like Kestrel or Arin's actions, but it was good have multiple POVs to help me better understand. It's a crazy world they live in too. ...more

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Jan 15, 2014 Jennie Machines rated it it was amazing

I absolutely loved this book! It was not like what I thought it would be and I couldn't put it down.
And what a great ending! I am so glad that I already have the next book sitting on my table. Cancel my plans today - I have books to attend to!
...more

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Sep 03, 2014 Yulie rated it it was amazing

ARIN

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Apr 06, 2016 Rosie Whatcott rated it liked it

Wow! I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I was actually way way good!
The plot moved along at a good pace while still including detail and development, and the characters felt realistic and relatable. Plus the romantic aspect of the book was filled with tension--and not the stupid kind, but a thrilling, on the edge of your seat kind.

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